NEWS & EVENTS
News and events
- 2023 -
January 2023 - The Special Issue on "Redox Regulation and Signaling in Neurodegenerative Diseases", including our Editorial, is now published.
Wishing you a happy and healthy and hopefully "back-to-normal" new year with great scientific discoveries and new achievements.
- 2022 -
November 2022 - I am so excited! I am starting a new position
in the department of otorhinolaryngology at the university hospital in Essen. I cannot wait to be working in a lab again. I have enjoyed being on parental leave very much and finding some time to finish manuscripts and working on interesting review articles.
Now, I am ready to dive in the new topic of immuno-oncology with an entusiastic and ambitious team and within the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre TRR332 on neutrophil biology.
November 2022 - Together with my dedicated colleagues and friends Mariana Holubiec and Manuela Gellert, I have been working on a mini review on redox regulation in Alzheimer´s disease, as part of our special issue on "Redox Regulation and Signaling in Neurodegenerative Diseases". It was a very interesting task and I have learned a lot about changes in redox metabolism and potential thiol switches in key proteins such as amyloid precursor protein and Tau that are linked to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer´s disease.
CHECK OUT:
SPECIAL ISSUES on "Redox Regulation in Inflammation and Disease"
and on "Redox Regulation and Signaling in Neurodegenerative Diseases". There is going to be a Volume 2 of the Special Issue Redox Regulation in Inflammation and Disease.
June 2022 - Best month, ever. Paper accepted in Biochem Biophys Res Commun with the title "Cytosolic glutaredoxin 1 is upregulated in AMD and controls retinal pigment epithelial cells proliferation via β-catenin". Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe, irreversible visual impairment in developed countries in the elderly. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species, dysregulation of cellular pathways including β-catenin and vascular endothelial growth factor have been described in the pathology of AMD. Here, we have analyzed the role of Glutaredoxin 1 and show a new potential regulation of β-catenin by Grx1.
June 2022 - What a great month. Another paper accepted in Antioxidants as part of the Special Issue "Redox Regulation in Inflammation and disease". We have worked on the comprehensive review "Changing Perspectives from Oxidative Stress to Redox Signaling-Extracellular Redox Control in Translational Medicine"
for quite some time. Extracellular redox regulation is essential for health, intermediate pathophenotypes and disease. In fact, redox changes can be analyzed in body fluids without invasive and expensive techniques. Translational strategies can lead to innovative tools for prevention and diagnostics.
June 2022 - Paper accepted in Communications Biology - "GDAP1 loss of function inhibits the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by altering the actin cytoskeleton"
- a great project by Prof. Axel Methner and his team and collaborators (within the SPP1710). Spoiler: Interaction of GDAP1 and Cofilin-1 plays a role in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neurological disorder that causes damage to the peripheral nerves.
June 2022 - Paper accepted in Antioxidants as part of the Special Issue "Redox Regulation in Inflammation and disease" "Nucleoredoxin Plays a Key Role in the Maintenance of Retinal Pigmented Epithelium Differentiation". Together with our long-term research collaboration in Buenos Aires, we have analyzed Nucleoredoxin in an in vivo
model for perinatal asphyxia and in the retinal pigmental epithelial cell line ARPE-19. "Our results strongly suggest that hypoxia-ischemia could lead to alterations in the organization of the retina, related to changes in RPE cell differentiation. Nrx may play an essential role in the maintenance of the RPE cell differentiation state via the regulation of VEGF release."
May 2022 - Mini review accepted in Frontiers in Immunology "Thiol Modifications in the Extracellular Space—Key Proteins in Inflammation and Viral Infection". What a great time Kathrin, Paola and I had, writing this piece. "Upon inflammation and changes in the cellular microenvironment, many extracellular soluble and membrane proteins undergo thiol modifications, particularly dithiol–disulfide exchange, S-glutathionylation, and S-nitrosylation. Among others, these thiol switches are essential for inflammatory signaling, regulation of gene expression, cytokine release, immunoglobulin function and isoform variation, and antigen presentation. Interestingly, also the redox state of bacterial and viral proteins depends on host cell-mediated redox reactions that are critical for invasion and infection. Here, we highlight mechanistic thiol switches in inflammatory pathways and infections including cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)." We acknowledge support by the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf for funding this open-access paper.
- 2021 -
August 2021 - Paper accepted - in fact another project on Cofilin-1. "Cofilin-1 oxidation links oxidative distress to mitochondrial demise and neuronal cell death"
was accepted in Cell Death & Disease. Prof. Culmsee´s group has analyzed the impact of cofilin-1 oxidation on mitochondria and the impact on neuronal cell death. We provided recombinant wildtype and Cys/Ser mutants to this very interesting story. Check it out.
August 2021 - Kathrin
has succesfully defended her master thesis and has decided to continue working on her projects for a few months. Congratulations.
July 2021 - Paper accepted! Thanks to a course on university teaching in Greifswald, I got to meet Prof. Dr. Goyal and Dr. Bruennert. Many years later, we publish our first (but definately not our last) paper together on "The intrinsic amyloidogenic propensity of cofilin-1 is aggravated by Cys-80 oxidation: A possible link with neurodegenerative diseases"
in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. A manuscript that was directly accepted without any remarks.
June 2021 - My daughter was born. I am truely grateful, excited and unbelievably happy.
May 2021 - Start of my maternity leave.
April 2021 - The collaborative project with Dr. Hudemann "Redox Enzymes of the Thioredoxin Family as Potential and Novel Markers in Pemphigus"
was published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. Pemphigus vulgaris is a severe autoimmune blistering disease that affects skin and mucous membranes. Autoimmune diseases have been linked to impaired redox regulation, however, not much is known. We have analyzed 4 members of the Trx family i.e. Trx1, Grx2, Prx1 and 4 in patient samples (skin, isolated PBMCs and serum). Interestingly, the specific changes could also be reproduced in a 3D skin model.
Check out the publication to find out, which redoxins change their localisation and are up- or downregulated in pemphigus.
April 2021 - Nilu
has started with her bachelor thesis, establishing new techniques for the isolation of extracellular vesicles from different body fluids.
March 2021 - Our project "Unraveling the gossip – Extrazelluläre Vesikel und Exosomen als pathogenetische Marker bei der Multiplen Sklerose"
is receiving funding from the DMSG-NRW. Feeling very grateful and excited about the upcoming experiments and all the new findings.
February 2021 - Our group is celebrating Women in Science Day: To all the amazing female scientists out there! And to all the amazing female scientists in our team:
January 2021 -
Remote organ damage has been linked to ischemia and reperfusion injury, e.g. induced by myocardial infarction (MI). Thioredoxin family proteins are altered in the heart and secondary organs such as femur, vertebrae and kidneys following myocardial infarction. Trx1 levels were significantly increased in the heart and femur of MI animals. In the femur and lumbar vertebrae, Trx1 upregulation was detected in bone-lining cells, osteoblasts, megakaryocytes, and other hematopoietic cells. Also, serum levels of Trx1 increased significantly. Our data were published in "Thioredoxin 1 is upregulated in the bone and bone marrow following experimental myocardial infarction: evidence for a remote organ response".
- 2020 -
November 2020 - Redoxins and related proteins are altered in airway inflammation. Our recently published paper "Glutaredoxin 2 reduces asthma-like acute airway inflammation in mice"
addresses these changes. Moreover, it shows that the administration of recombinant Trx1 and Grx2 reduces immune cell infiltration, levels of specific cytokines and reconstruction of the lung. Overall lung function is significantly improved.
October 2020 - Our SPP1710-review on "Thiol switches in membrane proteins - Extracellular redox regulation in cell biology" is online. PD Lorenzen, Prof. Eble and I have summarized the current knowledge on extracellular thiol switches in membrane proteins. Extracellular redox regulation has long been underestimated. So far, only a few of these switches have been identified and characterized. Their regulation is, in fact, essential for various cellular functions.
August 2020 - Paola
succesfully defended her master thesis with the title "Extracellular redox signaling and communication in glial cells". Congratulations. We are very happy that Paola is staying in our group as research associate.
July 2020 - Patricia
successfully defended her bachelor thesis with the title "Pioneers in diagnostics and therpeutics: Extracellular vesicles and redoxins". Congratulations.
June 2020 - Check out the non-profit organisation Impact Week.
My sister Sylvia and I organized the first GREEN Impact Week in Germany
with an amazing team. One weekend of Design Thinking and innovation
with a great international network. Create impact
and solutions for urgent environmental challenges.
I also participated in the Green Impact Week. Our team, including my other sister Stephanie, worked on the subject of Green Education. We made second place. We came to the conclusion that green education is still underrepresented in the educational system and that we all play a role in achieving the sustainable development goals, 2030. Learn more about our idea on creating more awareness for the topic and inviting people to actively and voluntarily challenge their lifestyle in order to implement sustainable changes in the next months. In fact, learn more about all ideas and create your own impact. Paola also participated working on the topic of sustainability.
June 2020 - Kathrin
is back in the lab. Now as a master student.
May 2020 - Manuscript accepted in Redox Biology. Learn more about Thioredoxin in diabetes and how hypoxia/inflammation can induce the translocation of Trx to the extracellular space: Implications for paracrine functions of the oxidoreductase.
April 2020 - Patricia has started her bachelor thesis.
May 2020 - Manuscript accepted in Redox Biology. Learn more about Thioredoxin in diabetes and how hypoxia/inflammation can induce the translocation of Trx to the extracellular space: Implications for paracrine functions of the oxidoreductase.
April 2020 - Patricia has started her bachelor thesis.
March 2020 - Three manuscripts within the SPP1710 were accepted
this month:
Learn more about the functions of Grx2c in cancer cell migration and invasion, published in BBA general subjects. I contributed to a project of the group of Dr. Christopher Horst Lillig. If you are interested in, how the expression of a single protein can alter the shape, migration and invasion of a cell, check out this article. Grx2c has originally been described as cancer-specific isoform.
Within the SPP1710 in a collaborative approach with Prof. Eble, we have identified a new extracellular thiol switch. The group of Prof. Eble has shown before that a7b1 is regulated by hydrogen peroxide. Our publication shows the exact cysteinyl residues within the ectodomain that can form a disulfide bridge and regulate protein conformation and ligand binding. Extracellular Trx1 can reduce the disulfide bridge and therefore regulates integrin activity and integrin-dependent functions such as cell migration.
For those of you that are interested in mitochondria. Check out the latest review on redox control of mitochondrial fission and fusion, published in Cells. This is another collaboration within the SPP1710 with the group of Prof. Axel Methner.
March 2020 - Today Najoua and Jan successfully defended their master thesis projects on redox regulatory processes in innate immunity. Congratulations. Najoua focussed on macrophages and microglia. Jan worked with NK and cancer cells.
January 2020 - Our collaborative manuscript was accepted in Neuroscience, showing in vivo functions of Trx1 in animal models of perinatal asphyxia. Oxygen deprivation during birth constitutes a major cause of neonatal death and neurological deficits in children. We show that Trx1 administration reduces astrogliosis and improves delayed neurodevelopment.
Happy, healthy, exciting and successfull 2020 to everyone with interesting new findings, scientific discussion and collaborations
Within the SPP1710 in a collaborative approach with Prof. Eble, we have identified a new extracellular thiol switch. The group of Prof. Eble has shown before that a7b1 is regulated by hydrogen peroxide. Our publication shows the exact cysteinyl residues within the ectodomain that can form a disulfide bridge and regulate protein conformation and ligand binding. Extracellular Trx1 can reduce the disulfide bridge and therefore regulates integrin activity and integrin-dependent functions such as cell migration.
For those of you that are interested in mitochondria. Check out the latest review on redox control of mitochondrial fission and fusion, published in Cells. This is another collaboration within the SPP1710 with the group of Prof. Axel Methner.
March 2020 - Today Najoua and Jan successfully defended their master thesis projects on redox regulatory processes in innate immunity. Congratulations. Najoua focussed on macrophages and microglia. Jan worked with NK and cancer cells.
January 2020 - Our collaborative manuscript was accepted in Neuroscience, showing in vivo functions of Trx1 in animal models of perinatal asphyxia. Oxygen deprivation during birth constitutes a major cause of neonatal death and neurological deficits in children. We show that Trx1 administration reduces astrogliosis and improves delayed neurodevelopment.
Happy, healthy, exciting and successfull 2020 to everyone with interesting new findings, scientific discussion and collaborations
- 2019 -
December 2019 - If you are interested in how the redox state affects immunity, I can recommend the latest review that was accepted for publication in Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
September 2019 - Paola has started her project in the lab. Janine has successfully defended her master thesis on extracellular Prx4. Congratulations.
August 2019 - Marcel and Kathrin have handed in their bachelor theses. Marcel became a pro in mutating Cys residues and Kathrin in handling many different cell culture models. Congratulations.
April 2019 - Jan and Najoua have started to work on their thesis projects.
March 2019 - Thanks to the SPP 1710 I got to meet Prof. Eble from the University of Münster and contributed to one of his projects that was now published in the Journal of Immunology. I never thought I would work on snake serum in connection to inflammatory signaling and cytoskeletal dynamics. I love science.
Happy, healthy, exciting and successfull 2019 to everyone.
September 2019 - Paola has started her project in the lab. Janine has successfully defended her master thesis on extracellular Prx4. Congratulations.
August 2019 - Marcel and Kathrin have handed in their bachelor theses. Marcel became a pro in mutating Cys residues and Kathrin in handling many different cell culture models. Congratulations.
April 2019 - Jan and Najoua have started to work on their thesis projects.
March 2019 - Thanks to the SPP 1710 I got to meet Prof. Eble from the University of Münster and contributed to one of his projects that was now published in the Journal of Immunology. I never thought I would work on snake serum in connection to inflammatory signaling and cytoskeletal dynamics. I love science.
Happy, healthy, exciting and successfull 2019 to everyone.
Meetings and events
- 2021-
March 2021 - Symposium of the SPP1710, digital conference
Talk and poster
- 2020 -
September 2020 - Baltic redox workshop
Poster
March 2020 - Neurology Retreat in Austria
Talk on current molecular and biochemical approaches, redox regulation and innate immunity
- 2019 -
September 2019 - International Symposium of the SPP1710, Sant Feliu de Guixols in Spain
Chair Woman and Poster on "Extracellular Peroxiredoxin 4 regulates immune cells involved in innate immunity"
March 2019 - Symposium of the SPP1710, Rauischholzhausen
March 2019 - R3 meeting (Redox Research Rheinland) on Redox signaling via membranes in Cologne,
Talk on "Extracellular redoxins in innate immunity"